Cannot connect Nest Protect back to wi-fi

[trainman52]

Two of my 3 Nest Protects dropped off wi-fi for no reason. In attempting to reconnect them the dreaded error code P024(4.8). I tried all the suggestions to no avail. Spoke to a Google/Nest assistant. She couldn't resolve the issue. She connected me to the next-level assistant. She couldn't help me either; told me she would report the issue to the developers. From what I have seen about this issue and the dates posted, either the developers can't find the answer or they have given up. One YouTuber suggested taking the batteries out of the Protect not being programmed. That didn't work for me. Another suggestion was to delete the Nest doorbell add the Protects and then add the doorbell again. That didn't work either. Another suggestion was to add a second "home". Why? I don't want to have to switch between homes. And that didn't work in my case. Google/Nest can hire the most talented engineers. Do that and get this issue resolved for me and the many other individuals who have contacted Google/Nest over the years. Thank you

[Jonyeo]

Having the same problem 

[Kylehenson2]

I’m also having the same problem. I tried resetting one to factory settings. It still wont connect to WiFi. This seems to be a bigger issue impacting multiple users. 

[Jonyeo]

Yes tried chatting to support online but they didn’t have a clue and then mysteriously the chat disconnected, these are expensive devices to just end up being bricked 

[dpeacock]

Also having the same problem.  Factory reset all of my devices, tried adding a new home, tried multiple wifi networks, only able to get the first device connected - subsequent devices cannot be added.

[Jonyeo]

Yes the exact same problem, sounding more like some bug in the devices 

[Kylehenson2]

Incredibly disappointing considering how expensive these devices are. I contacted support this evening. They finally advised to disconnect from power for 30 minutes then try to set it back up. Shockingly, the setup failed. I think Google Tech Support was just blowing me off.

[dpeacock]

I went through a chat earlier today, was escalated to senior tech support who then created a ticket for a 'special team' and was told I should hear back in 24 to 48 hours. 

There's a thread from earlier in the week  where someone had a similar issue and it resolved for them. 

I also saw somewhere that they have put Nest Protects in the Google Home app in Public Preview, so feels like there's probably active work going on around Protects and something has gotten severely broken.  Also feeling very frustrated with how much time I wasted today on this.

[Jonyeo]

Yes they had me do the same, didn’t work.  They have no idea which is crazy as it’s an error code so they must now what triggers  that code 

[trainman52]

As so MANY of us have this issue, it would be nice if Google publically commented on the issue. Google has our email addresses in their files. For example, Sonos was having app issues. The company sent out an email to all Sonos users with an explanation of the issue and what the company was doing to resolve it. Sonos users were even told what portions of the app would be fixed first. I wonder if Google/Nest even reads these posts?

[Kylehenson2]

Totally agree!  As widespread as this issue is, there should definitely be some type of communication to consumers that spent thousands of dollars on their products. I’ve seen in previous posts that Community Specialists have responded but they seem dated so maybe Google has given up. Pretty sad. Too bad Nest didn’t remain as a stand alone company focused on their customers. Google has since just assimilated them into the machine and is putting little effort into these products. Margin must not be high enough. 

[trainman52]

Has anyone heard from Google/Nest on how to solve the issue? I haven't.

[Kylehenson2]

Crickets. Haven’t heard a word. Incredibly disappointing. 

[dpeacock]

I followed up on a ticket that I was told I would hear back from in 72hr and didn't and was told: "Our engineering team is still reviewing your case in order to properly determine what is causing this issue when trying to add a second Nest Protect to your home."

[Jonyeo]

I have called them twice and both times nit got any solution, I told them lots of people are having the same issue. Will keep hassling them until they fix it 

[Hotas]

Hello, I just bought a new Nest Protect V 2,installed and everything ok.Two days later wifi connection failed.Reconnected to the wifi, back,on line and two days later again offline.This product sucks.Can anybody help.please?And now I just can’t connect to the wifi again.

HELP HELP,HELP

[OptimistPrime]

Very long time Nest product user. Starting this because I needed a public thread created to escalate.

Have a home with many Nest Protects + other Nest/Google products. 

Everything was set up and working properly until I needed to add a new Protect and it didn't work when trying to connect to other devices. While trying to debug and trying everything I could think of (reading many similar threads here and elsewhere) I made the incorrect conclusion it was related to the specific device I was trying to add. Subsequently removed all and planned to add all under a new Home if necessary. What I've found is I can add only one per home. Subsequent adds result is a variety of error codes. 

What I've tried

• Tried multiple generations of Android phones - Pixel 3 & 8
• Restarting app, phone, clearing Nest app cache
• Factory reset Protect devices
• Using multiple 2.4 GHz networks and default 2.4/5
• IPv6 on/off
• Added second wifi network with Google branded pucks
• Toggled bluetooth on/off
• Toggled Airplane mode on/off
• Fi VPN on/off

Primary wifi network TP-Link Deco but Google/Nest wifi doesn't work either. Nether Home will accept a second Protect. After reset I even force upgraded firmware, no effect. 

No matter what I do, the new device will not connect to the established Protect. Experienced virtually all error codes.  Strange thing is I have a lot of consumer experience working with Nest products and have installed everything myself in several homes. 

Big mistake removing the old devices from the app!

same scenario as reported here:

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Nest-Protect/Does-not-connect/m-p/164535

[OptimistPrime]

I've also tried force upgrading firmware on newly reset devices, had no effect.

Reset devices won't even install on a Google Wifi network with nothing else on it or using an older Android device with fresh Nest app install. (clarify, one will install but cannot add a second)

[OptimistPrime]

This might be a clue. If I try to add a Nest Protect manually using the key, I receive error P002 "This entry key does not match this Nest Connect" 

This has happened on two separate devices. 

Edit: resetting the devices fixed this.  Original issue is still very much a problem however. 

[nestisbroken]

Exactly the same problem here. I've spent two days on this now, trying every possible router/firewall/filter option I can find. First Nest protect connects without any issue. Second device cannot be added. I've had every error code under the sun. Nothing works. Google Nest support walked me through all the obvious steps I'd tried in the first 30 minutes, but they couldn't resolve the issue.

[nestisbroken]

I take it back. The Nest app tells me the first device connected successfully, but I think it's lying. If I try a safety checkup on that device, if fails to connect, even with the Protect sat on top of the exclusively 2.4 GHz WiFi router. So the issue might be that it's never even connecting the first device.

[OptimistPrime]

To help isolate the issue I disabled my entire TP-Link mesh network (which everything had been working fine on) and fired up a single Nest 2nd Gen WiFi puck. Reset two Nest Protects, added phone to new network, added first Nest Protect to new Nest Home - OK, second Protect multiple error codes same as before.  All four devices were in very close proximity. This should rule out any environmental issues on my end.  

Looks like I've run out of options. 

[nestisbroken]

I've also tried multiple routers, hotspots, etc. Same errors each time. Google Nest support haven't been able to resolve my issue.

OptimistPrime - have you tried running the 'Safety Checkup' on the first Nest Protect device? (The one you assume was added correctly.) In my case, the Nest app is lying to me at setup. It claims everything looks good, but when I run the Safety Checkup, it fails to connect. In other words, even the first device is not connecting properly.

[OptimistPrime]

Looks like they can perform a self checkup but not on demand, I get the error too.

I went to the extreme lengths of turning off all circuits in the hose except those needed for wifi, Nest Connect and the wired smoke alarms. Same error, so I think that rules out environmental electronic interference. 

We had a similar experience with Google/Nest Wifi awhile back. Previously networked mesh system started dropping pucks and they couldn't be re-added. I never resolved the issue, needed to upgrade hardware so purchased a new non-Google product. 

[nestisbroken]

It looks like there's a nail in Nest's coffin at this point 😞

Maybe there's a possible ray of sunshine here: https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/15709068?hl=en

I gave up though and returned my Nest Protect. Google Nest support left me with no confidence in them or the product. The $160 alarm I purchased was basically a $10 smoke alarm that only worked locally.

[AndersC]

Hi there,

Thank you for posting in the community. I'm sorry to hear you're unable to connect more than one Nest Protect in the app. I'm happy to help. I also appreciate all the information about the troubleshooting you have performed. 

Please provide the information requested below so we can learn more about this inconvenience:

• Could you confirm if all your devices are Gen 2?
• What error are you getting when trying to add the rest of the devices?

Normally, the second-generation Nest Protect can connect to a hidden network (SSID). However, if you have a router that uses a Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption for security, the Nest Protect may not be able to connect to the hidden network. In this situation, you can change the encryption from WPA to WPA2. If WPA2 isn't an option, you can try the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption as a workaround. You may need to refer to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or router manufacturer for assistance to make these changes. If you change the encryption type and the pairing still fails, be sure to change it back, so the other devices on the account can come back online.

The first-generation Nest Protect creates an ad hoc network (Format: NEST-XXX) during pairing. If you add the Nest Protect as the first device on your account, you need to exit the Nest app and connect your mobile phone to this network to complete the Nest Protect pairing and setup. You may not be able to find NEST-XXXX on your mobile phone’s list of available networks. You have to go to your mobile device’s Wi-Fi or network settings and then manually scan for the Wi-Fi networks again to refresh the list of Wi-Fi access points. While you pair through an ad hoc network, the Nest Protect may go to sleep mode. When this happens, you have to press the Nest button to wake up the Nest Protect.

I hope this information is helpful. I'll be waiting for your response.

Regards,

Anders

[OptimistPrime]

Hello Anders, just got off chat with both regular & senior support and neither could figure out why it is happening. 

All are Gen 2. The first pairs fine but the second cannot (there are 9, all doing the same thing). Mostly P013, P014, P024. 

We tried 5 GHz and 2.4GHz separately, no luck. 

The recommendation was to buy new ones, but I suspect that won't change anything.

[AndersC]

Hi @OptimistPrime,

Thank you for the update. I'm sorry to hear you were unable to fix this even after contacting regular and senior support .

The team would like to learn more about this behavior. When you get a chance, please fill out this form and let us know when you’re finished. We’ll have someone reach out to you via email from there.
To help us assist you better, please include the link to your Community thread and your Community username.
Don't hesitate to reach out if you need help or have more questions in the future.

Regards,

Anders

[OptimistPrime]

Ok Anders.

I purchased a new Protect today directly from the Google Store to experiment, to see if there is any change in behavior with a fresh device.  Customers are limited to just one...which possibly suggests a known issue (two don't work).  FWIW: manufactured date was 2021 which suggests things as well.

Will update once I have a chance to install it. I suspect it will not work. 

[AndersC]

Hi @OptimistPrime,

Thank you for letting me know this.
I'll be waiting for your update once you get your new Nest Protect device and try to add it in the app.

Regards,

Anders

[OptimistPrime]

Anders,

2 updates. 

1) The new Protect can't network with the others whether it is installed first or second. This I expected.

2) I have 3 Nest protects installed at a second location. We had a brief power outage there about 14 hours ago. Two of the three are now no longer networked. The app now says they have been offline 14 hours. 

This seals it, once disconnected from the network these devices cannot reconnect. Something changed recently. I'm assuming that the one Protect still online was the first I installed.

Hopefully Google pushes an update soon.

Trying to be helpful as possible, I'm a PE in other Google Help Communities so this information helps you help others.  But looks like we have to sit on our hands until then. 

[nestisbroken]

Google directly sold a product that already had 4 years off its 10-year lifespan? That is telling 😞 I think the higher-ups at Google know this product is broken.

[OptimistPrime]

Agree, the date of manufacture should be disclosed and those older than X should be sold as NOS at a lower price. I checked the box, there was no label indicating the date on the outside. Guessing this issue was not anticipated in advance.

[OptimistPrime]

@AndersC This morning I checked our remote location where 2 of 3 Protects were offline and found them all connected. 

I then reset my local Protects and the ALL networked properly!

Clearly some type of hot fix was pushed by Google yesterday evening. Support suggested one might be immanent but clearly it was a known issue being addressed. 

Hope you can pass this along to the many other threads on the matter. I saw folks complaining about it all over the internet. 

[OptimistPrime]

Update: All devices continue to work as designed. 

[dpeacock]

I'm experiencing the exact same issue.  I was trying to migrate devices to a new WiFi SSID and removed them all from my home and factory reset (big mistake it seems).  Can only get one added to the home now and the second can never find the first typically getting P013 or P024 as well.  Trying to use the old SSID experiences the same issue, as well as hot-spotting.  Clearly feels like something has changed on Google's side given it won't work on the previous network that it was running just fine on.

@OptimistPrime what did you have to do to get the devices to actually connect?

[nestisbroken]

Even if these Nest Protects tell you they're connected (the first device you add usually tells you this) that's not entirely correct. Remote safety checkup will fail (on all devices) and they will no longer send you push notifications like they used to. These devices are now not much different to the $10 battery-operated smoke/CO detectors you can buy in Home Depot.

[OptimistPrime]

Right, whatever hot fix they pushed didn't address this issue, but at least they are working now otherwise. I can confirm I can monitor and adjust them remotely. 

[OptimistPrime]

I didn't do anything really.

I checked my remote location and the Protects that were offline had re-connected themselves. That inspired me to check the local devices. I reset them all at once and one by one I was able to install them normally. I did the procedure in one spot in the house then attached them later.

Support had suggested an update was immanent so I was looking for evidence it had occurred. It is possible that it is being pushed out in stages rather than globally at once. 

Does feel like the product may be retired so I'll be looking for replacement products in the next few years. If v3 were coming out I think it would have by now. 

The fact that a device purchased at the Google Store had a 2021 mfg date doesn't bode well. 

[nestisbroken]

I see this as a more serious problem with the potential for lawsuits. Consider:

a) You're out when a small fire starts in your home. Since you get no push notifications on your phone, the first you know of it is when you return to the smoldering ruins and the cremated remains of your pets.

b) One of your alarms senses smoke or CO, but because it's far enough away from your bedroom that initial isolated alert fails to wake you in time. Then the fire department ends up scraping your crispy remains from the charred rubble.

NFPA 72 and IRC R314 require residential fire/smoke detectors to interconnect - meaning if one alarm sounds, they should all sound. The Nest Protect no longer does this and I suspect this is why Google's store won't let you buy more than one unit. 

I don't know where Google would stand legally if somebody acquired two units and encountered situation b). Google may not be all that worried about getting sued by the crispy remains, but Nest Protect is nevertheless being sold under false pretenses and no longer works as advertised.